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(No Model.) i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'=. G. BETTINI. METHOD OF RECORDING AND REPRODUGING SOUNDS.

NO. 409,003. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.,

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- BETT METHOD OF RE NG AND RODUOING SOUNDS.

No. 409,003. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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Witt Gian/7411;561:4110?! I kw Zzorney N PETERS FhafioLxhogrlphar Waahmglon D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIANNI BETTINI, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF RECORDING AND REPRODUCING SOUNDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,003, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed April 11, 1889. Serial No. 306,812. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GIANNI BETTINI, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recording and Reproducing Articulate or other Sound or Sounds; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the recording and reproduction of sound.

The object is to record articulate speech and other sounds and reproduce them wit-h great amplitude and distinctnessi With this object in view the invention consists in the method of recording sound or sounds by setting up vibrations in a body by articulation or otherwise, taking the vibrations from the body at several points or places, communicating them to a common point or place, and causing a record to be made from this common point or place.

The invention consists, furthermore, in the method of reproducing sound or sounds by causing any suitable record (whether produced as above or otherwise) to act at a single point or place and from this point or place causing vibrations at several points or places of a body capable of vibration; and the invention consists, finally, in the method of recording and reproducing sound or sounds by taking vibrations off a vibrating body at several points or places, commu nicating them to a common or central point or place, causing a record to be made from this common point or place, and then from this record causing vibrations at a common point or place and communicating these to several parts of a body capable of vibration.

Otherwise stated, the invention consists in taking oif vibrations produced by soundwaves from the vibratory body at several points or places, and communicating them to a central point or place to make a record of such vibrations; furthermore, in setting up' vibrations at several points or places in a body capable of being vibrated from a record and developing sounds-such as articulate speechtherefrom.

By experiment it has been ascertained that when by articulation or other cause of production impulses are imparted to a fluidsuch as airand are conveyed to a substance capable of being vibrated the vibrations caused in the substance are practically uniform throughout. I have found that these vibrations can be taken off at several points or places, be communicated to a common or central point or place by means of transmitters, and be impressed upon a yielding material, producing a record, so that when the same or a similar central or common point or object communicating with several parts of a body capable of vibration is passed over this record vibrations like those originally produced are set up at the several parts of this body, and, the vibrations from these parts be ing imparted to the air, great amplitude results, with precision of form, giving great distinctness.

Any suitable instrumentalities which will perform the operations above outlined may be utilized, and I do not intend, of course, to limit myself in this respect.

WVhat follows will serve as an illustration of one means by which my invention may be carried into effect.

In the accompanying drawingsI have illustrated a suitable apparatus for carrying out my invention.

The particular apparatus shown forms the subjectmatter of an application filed on April 13, 1889, Serial No. 307,087.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an inverted plan View of a frame and diaphragm with four converging arms or conveyers. Fig. 2is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of a frame and diaphragm with the converging arms or conveyors and showing three enlargements. Fig. dis a sectional view of the same.

In the drawings, A represents a frame carried and sustained in suitable position to move longitudinally with relation to a cylinder or other body capable of receiving impressions, or to be stationary with relation to a longitudinally-moving cylinder or body of this kind. The mechanism employed for moving the cylinder or otherbody orfor moving the frame need not be herein particularly described, as the same forms no part of the present invention.

The frame contains a chamber one side of which is formed by any suitable body capable of receiving vibrationssuch as a (liaphragm l3preferably attached to the frame in such manner that a practically airtight joint is formed. On the exposed face of the diaphragm is arranged a spider C, which has a number of arms or conveyors 0 attached to or at several points or places on the dia phragm and converging to a common point a, where I place a projection with or without a small wheel, the projection being designed to receive vibrations from the diaphragm and impart them to asuitable body for making a record,and subsequently to traverse the record so made and impart the same or nearly the same vibrations to the diaphragm as those originally imparted, causing sound-waves corresponding to those originally produced.

.lVhile I have here described a production of a record as well as a reproduction therefrom, it is to be understood that I donot coufine my new mode of reproduction to use with my new mode of production, since I may employ my new mode of reproduction with line effects as to increased amplitude and distinctncss in connection with any phonograph-record made-that is, act upon my common point and from this communicate vibrations to several points or parts of a diaphragm.

In order more perfectly to preserve the character of the vibrations set up in the diaphragm, I find it of advantage to construct the frame C of such rigid material that it has the least possible amount of independent vibration, in order that no interference with the vibrations transmitted from the dia phragm to the common or central point or place shall take place. For this purpose I find that arms or convcyers T-shaped in cross section are effective. At the central or converging points of the arms I place any suitable device adapted to make the record upon a soft or yielding substance and to traverse a record, or, afterward, to traverse the record so made without injuring it. I find that a wheel of some substance, preferably of agate or ruby in the nature of a jewel, and to which light or sticky particles will not adhere, is particularly adapted for this purpose, as by it the disadvantage of a cutting-tool or stylus from which false vibrations are liable to be set up are avoided. By using a wheel contact may be made with the cylinder or other body directly at right angles to its axis, thereby causing more perfect and uninterrupted communication with the impression of the record. On the opposite side of the frame to that at which the diaphragm is placed I may attach a tube, and, if desired, I may attach to this tube a funnel.

My method differs materially from that which results from the employment of a cup carrying a point, which cup is in contact with the diaphragm, and which vibrates in itself, being, in effect, the equivalent of two diaphragms, in that in my device the conductors are separated and do not form. a chamber for air or other fluid, and hence no vibrations from such air or fluid are transmitted to them, and also having separate or independent points of contact no dampening effect is produced.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The method of recording articulate or other sound or sounds, which consists in setting up vibrations in a body, taking the vibrations from the body at several points or places, communicating them by independent conductors to a common point or place, and causing a record to be made from this common point or place.

2. The method of reproducing articulate or other sound or sounds, which consists in cansing a record of vibrations to act at a single point or place and from this point or place communicating vibrations by independent conductors to several points on a vibratory body.

The'method of recording and reproducing articulate or other sound or sounds, which consists in taking vibrations off a vibratory body at several points or places, communicat ing them to a common or central point or place by independent conductors, causing a record to be made from this common point or place, and then causing this record to act at the common or central point or place, communicating vibrations to a viln'atory body at several points or places.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GIANNI BETTINI. \Vitnesses:

ORAZIO Loco, F. B. KEEFER. 

